Mailing box



O. T. SPRAGGINS May 26, 1925.

MAILING BOX Filed June 2l, 1922 Rlvnnsl. CARD ru MAH.

JOHN DDE YERSE CNRDTO MAIL Fis. 6

l' INvE/vToAe 0.7? Spragg/ns. v

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A7-Tg2 EY Patented May 26, i925.

UNlTED STATES OSCAR T, SPRAGGIVNS, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

MALING BOX.

Applcatonled June 2 1, 1922.

To all whom t may concer/1i.'

Be it known that I, Oso-iu T. Srxnooius,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and the State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Mailing Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable anyone skilled in the art to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in paper boxes, especially adapted for mailing purposes and has for itsobjects` to provide: first, a box adapted to be readily fastened or sealed and as readily openedv and re-fastened or re-sealed; second, to provide such a box adapted to be substantially rigid againstl compression or distortion such as would be ordinarily encountered in the mails and which is capable of economic manufacture; and third, to provide such a box wherein the mail and return addresses may be printed on the opposite sides of a reversible address card, s o that inI re-mailing, the box is opened, the address card reversed, and the contents having-in the meantime been removed, repaired and replaced, the box is re-fastened and the address card thereby secured in place.

I accomplish these objects, as will be more fully hereinafter set out in the drawings, specifications and claims.

Tn the drawings:

Fig. l, is a top view of the box sealed with the address card in place.

Fig. Q, is a longitudinal section of the box along the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3, is a transverse section of the box.

Fig. 4, is an enlarged sectional detail of the upper left hand corner of the box as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the top and one side and end of the box.

Fig. 6, is a top view of the box showing a modification of the sealing or fastening means.

Fig. 7, is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. G to show a detail of the modified form of fastening means shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8, is a plan view of one end of the box wherein a contracted opening is shown instead of the window opening of Fig. l.

Fig. 9, is a modified form of the invention showing a developed View of the box flattened out.

Seriall No. 570,629.

Fig. l0, is a. perspective view of the box shown in Fig. 9, made up, with one end opened and with a drawer or inside container therein.

Fig. ll, is a similar view of the box without the drawer or inside container.

Fig. l2, is a similar view of thesamebox sealed and ready for shipment.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by like n-umerals in all the views, the numeral l designates an inner box or container upon the top ofwhich is located a reversible address card 3, the latter being placed between the inner box or liner l and an outer box l, the top 5 of which is provided with a window slot or panel opening 6 through which window or opening the reversible address card aforesaid is exposed.

The inner box, or liner l, is preferably slidably removable from either end of the outer box after the outer box is opened, in order that the contents of the inner box or liner may become accessible for removal or in order that the same or other articles may be replaced therein for. shipment. The inner box is held within thet container, by an end 9 which is provided with` a flap 8 which may be folded over and preferably slipped between the container and the top of the box 5. This flap 8 is provided with a retaining means 7 preferably in the form of a bendable metal clip secured thereto which metal clip may be bent over to embrace one edge of the opening G in the top 5. Should the top 5 be provided with the small open ing l2 as shown in Fig. 8, the bendable clip 7 may similarly be secured against one edge of this opening. Tu opening the box in either case, the bendable clip 7 may be straightened out, the flap 8 pulled out carrying the fastener 7 therewith and the end 9 straightened out to permit the removal of the inner container' and thereafter the box may be reassembled and re-sealed as first described.

In Figs. 6 and 7, the retaining means is shown in the form of a gummed flap 7 which may be folded over and sealed down against the top of the section 10 of the top 5, the under side 1l of this flap 7 as shown in Fig. 7, being gummed for that purpose and as seen in Fig. 7, additional flaps 7 similarly gummed being provided for use in re-mailing. In this case the gummed flap 7 is cut off, when it is desired to open the box and thereafter an additional flap is used when it is desired to seal the box for remailing. In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 the flap 8 corresponding to the Hap 8 as before described, is used for directly sealing against the section 13 of the box. This may either be the top or the bottom according to which way the box is turned. In this case the inner surface of the flap is gummed as indicated by the lining thereon and is moistened and pasted down to seal the box for shipping. In these views 5fL would then be the top of the box, 14 and 15 the sides and 16 a gummed flap which will fold against the side 15 when the box is made up, which flap 16 is glued or gummed so that it may be sealed against the side 15 to form the box. 17 are end flaps which fold inward to form stiffening members to prevent the lateral collapse of the box when made up. 18 represents an inner container similar to the container 1 shown in the preceding figures.

It will also be seen that these boxes may be out out, suitably7 gummed, and shipped fiat so that they may be set up only as they are needed and thereby not only great economy in space be effected, but also a great saving in freight or express be had.

In making these boxes up in flat form, they are preferably scored along the dotted lines of Fig. 9 so that they will fold properly when being assembled.

In the claims I have used the term tinctly understood however, that the term top of the box is purely relative, as what is the top in one case would be the bottom should the boX be turned over, and that in using the above term, I am using it as meaning the top or the bottom of the box, depending 011 how the same may be turned.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A paper box having a window opening in the top thereof, provided with a reversible address card in the rear of said opening, a foldable end, a flap extending therefrom adapted to pass beneath said top and above said reversible address card and a fastener extension adapted to be reversibly bentto engage a portion of said top marginal to said opening to seal saidbox and thereby secure said reversible card against removal.

2. A paper box having a window opening in the top thereof, an inner liner or drawer, a reversible address card in the rear of said window opening between the said inner liner or drawer and the said box, a foldable end, a fia-p extending therefrom adapted to be tucked in beneath said top and said address card and a fastener extension adapted to be reversibly bent to engage a portion of said top marginal to said opening.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature 'in presence of two Witnesses.

' OSCAR T. SPRAGrGrINSy Witnesses:

JULIAN AYME'r'r, M. P. THOMAS.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that n Letters Patent No. 1,539,523, granted May 2G, 1925, upon the application 0l Oscar T. Spraggins, el' Memphis, Tennessee` for an lnmovement in Mailing' Boxes, an error appears requiring correction as follows: Sheet 2 of the drawings, containing- Fgures 9 to 12, inclusive, should appear shown below as part of the Letters Patent:

May 26, 1925. l 415539523 O. T. SPRAGGINS MAILING BOX ffm/'0. 1525// lllll HH1k l llIlll/O' Iza/z 4 ff f7 /7 e /7 f/a' ,f /73 /4 /4- l/4 a ad' '62 X mvENToR Caca/.- 77 J/riyfy//r l und that the sind Letters Patent Should be read with this correction therein that the saune may conform to the record of the ease in the Iatent Oee. Signed and settled this 7th day of July, A. D. 1920,

[SEAL] WM. K1N N AN,

' Aczfmg Commzssz'oner of Paie/rats', 

